Circuit-interrupting device



Patented Mar. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,448,384 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. BROWN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01 PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT-INTERRUPTING DEVICE.

Application filed June 9,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I. James M. BRowN, a citizen of the United States. and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Circuit- Interrupting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My inventionrelates to electrical protective and circuit-interruptin .devices and particularly to circuit interrupter-s adapted for use with electrical farm equipment and other apparatus.

One object of my invention is to provide a device of the above indicated character that shall have means for preventing the approach of an operator thereto when the interrupter is in its closed position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a circuit interrupter that shall comprise aplurality of relatively movable contact members and operating means for engaging and disengaging the same in predetermined sequence stepsof permissibly different order during the openingand closing operations of the interrupter.

Heretofore, it has been usual, in connection with electrical farm lighting and other electrical equipments to provide an outdoor circuit interrupter or switch at or near the upper part of a pole or tower of a relatively high-tension transmission system. These interrupting devices usually include lighting arresters, limiting resistors, expulsion fuses and other means, for protecting the service circuit, which occasionally require attention such as the renewal of blown fuses, the replacement of damaged resistors and other repairs.

It is essential. that the operators of these devices, some of-whom may be more or less unskilled and unacquainted with the characteristics of high-tension apparatus, be protected to the utmost.

To render the lightingand power equipments. more effective and economical in service, it is desirable to provide transformers of different capacities and voltages for the main. power-service lines and the lighting circuits, respectively, and to permit the operation of switches for connecting these transformers to their respective circuits from aposition adjacent to the base of the transmission pole or tower. It is further desirable, in connection with electri- 1920. Serial No. 387,626.

cal farm equipment, to have the operating means permanently connected to the interrupter and provided with locking means near its lower end, as this avoids the manipulation of the separate long pole in common use for operating disconnecting switches.

In practicing my invention, I provide a circuit interrupter having a plurality of sets of inter-related relatively movable contact members and operating means for selectively engaging and disengaging the contact members in different predetermined order. This permits the connection of either or both of different service transformers between the supply and service lines and also permits either of the transformers to be disconnected independently of the other. Means is also provided at an. intermediate point on the pole or tower for preventing the approach of an operator to the interrupter when any of the contact members'are engaged.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawingis a diagrammatic front elevational view of a device embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof and Fig. 3 is a-plan View of a-vprotective grid or barrier member constituting a part of my invention. A circuit-interrupting device 1, supported on a cross arm 2 and a member 3, at the upper portion of a pole or tower 4, comprises ordinarily pin-type insulators 5, stationary contact members 6, on the insulators and a transverse shaft 7 having bearings in members 8 that are supported on the member 3. Sleeve members 9. 10 and 11. loosely mounted on the shaft 7, support the movable pole members 12. 13 and 14, respectively, of the interrupter 1. The sleeve member 10 has substantially half-cylindrical projecting portions. 15 and 16 atits ends for co-operation with similar projecting portions 17 and 18 on the sleeve members 9 and 11, respectively, that are adaptedto close the movable member 13 when either of the members 12 or 14 is actuated. Relatively long operating arms 19 and 20 are secured, by pins 21, to levers 22 and 23' of the sleeves 9 and .11, respectively, and extend to an operating device 24 disposed at a position adjacent to the lower end of the pole 4. j The operating device 24 comprises similar cra'nk handle members 25 mounted on opposite ends of a pin or shaft 26 extending through the pole 4 and having projections mediate movable member 13 is provided with a weight member 36 or other means for opening the same when both of the members 12 and 14 are opened. The service lines 33 are connected to transformers 37 and 38 of different capacities, one of which may be used to energize a lighting circuit and the other to operate the heavier electricalservice devices.

A barrier or grid member 39, disposed at an intermediate position on the pole 6, has an open portion 40 permitting it to project in a horizontal plane on substantially all sides of the pole 4 and is pivotally mounted on a shaft 41 mounted in a bracket 42 that is secured to the pole 4 by bolts 43.

The barrier member 39 comprises a frame member or members 44, transverse grid members 45, a weight member 46 and depending lever members 47. Members 48 function as grid members for portions of their lengths, similarly to the grid members 45, and are bent downwardly and inwardly at their inner ends to connect with the lower ends of the levers 47 Transversely-projecting disks 49, or other means, are secured to the arms 19 and to engage the members 48 on their upper sides.

When it is desired to connect the transformer 37 in circuit with the supply lines 32, one of the crank-handle members is turned on the shaft 26 to move the arm 19 downwardly, during which movement the disk 49 on the arm 19 engages one of the members 48 to move the barrier member 39 to its horizontal position. At the same time, the projection 17 on the sleeve 9, engages the projection 15 on the sleeve 10 to move the pole member 13 to its closed position simultaneously with the pole member 12. After this, the operating arm 20 may be moved to similarly move the pole member 14 to its closed position without affecting the position of the barrier member 39. It will be understood that this operation is reversible and that the members13 and 14 may be initially closed simultaneously and the member 12 be moved'to its closed position thereafter, but it will be seen that neither of the members 12 nor 14 may be moved alone to its closed position when all th e device except of the members 12, 13 and. 14 are in their open positions.

While it have shown and described a par ticular form of my invention, changes may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with an electrical de" vice and means whereby the same may be operated from a remote position with respect thereto, of a movable barrier operatively connected to said operating means and so disposed as to prevent the approach of an operator to the device except when the latter has been actuated to be in a predetermined safe condition.

2. The combination with an electrical de vice, remotely therefor and connecting means ext-end ing between the device and the operat ing means, of means operatively connected to the connecting means and so disposed as to prevent the approach of an operator to when the latter has been actuated to be in a predetermined safe condition.

3. A pole or tower-switch device comprising means operatively connected thereto and disposed between the switch and the lower end of the poleor tower for preventing the approach of an operator to the switch GX- cept when the latter is open.

4. A pole .or tower-switch device comprising a movable barrier member disposed between the switch and the ground and operatively connected to the switch to prevent the approach of an operator to the switch except when the latter is open.

5. A pole or tower-switch device comprising relatively movable contact members, op

erating means therefor extending to a position adjacent to the base of the pole or tower, and a barrier member for preventing the approach of an operator to the switch when the latter is closed and disposed intermediate the ends of the pole or tower and operatively connected to the operating means to permit the approach. of the operator when the switch is open.

6. A pole or tower-switch device comprising a plurality of relatively movable contact members, a plurality of selective operating means therefor, and a movable protective barrier member disposed between the switch and the ground and so operatively connected to said operating means as to be actuated to operative position when any of the contact members are closed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day of May,

' JAMES M. BROWN.

disposed operating means i 

